– The Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) proposal was conceived by a group of concerned citizens who felt a strong need for national unity and the forging of a truly united, strong and cohesive Bangsa Malaysia.

– They call themselves the Demi Negara Blogging Community.

– They are all Anonymous and they don’t belong to any political party.

– Bahasa Malaysia is the National Language. Hence, every Malaysian must be fluent in the National Language.

– The usage of the National Language will nurture a sense of belonging to the nation and young Malaysians will interact with one another with minimal language barriers.

– Futhermore, Bahasa Melayu (or Bahasa Malaysia) has been the lingua franca or the medium of communication for everybody in this area which was at one time called Nusantara, stretching from the Malay Peninsula to Irian Jaya. Ancient travellers to this area, including the Chinese from Mainland China, the Indians from India, the Arabs, the Persians have stated this in their ancient written records.

– Sabah and Sarawak were a part of an ancient Malay Sultanate of Brunei where Bahasa Melayu was also the lingua franca of the area. This is also on record, in the history books and in official archives containing ancient documents

– No it does not. As stated earlier, it seeks to nurture the mother-tongue language through elective subjects. Any student may enrol in these elective classes. Schools will provide options for the students too. This has already been done.

– Yes, one of the recommendations is to review the quality of the national school syllabus.

– This encompasses the teaching and learning techniques.

– When the education system is properly reviewed, all aspects of the system – both national and vernacular schools – would be looked into thoroughly and recommendations will be made to rectify the system.

– In proposing the SSS, the Demi Negara community puts out the opinion that the vernacular school’s (SJKC or SJKT) enrolment is often not multi-racial; the children in their formative years study in a closed environment, not mixing with children of other races and these are not conducive to national unity and the forging of a united Bangsa Malaysia as envisaged in the 1Malaysia concept announced by the Prime Minister.

– Government policies like NEP are socio economical and political issues whereas the SSS is solely looking at uniting the children under one education system.

– Furthermore, the NEP is an affirmative action to correct any economic imbalance in the country. SSS and the NEP are different proponents aimed at achieving different objectives.

– SSS does not intend to victimise vernacular schools as these schools will be absorbed into the one national school system. In fact, these schools will ultimately be aided and funded fully by the Government should the SSS campaign is successful.

– The problem is not only the medium of instruction but also the lack of multi-racial atmosphere for children to learn respect for one another and experience togetherness as well as racial harmony. That is why the SJK school systems have to absorbed into the national school system.

– Those who argue that vernacular schools produce better results and that Malay parents have in recent years been enrolling their children in SRJKC do not substantiate their claims with facts and figures of SRJKC enrolment and results nation wide.

– Those who claim that the standard of teaching in National Schools has deteriorated also did not produce evidence but merely state their allegations, suspicions and possible isolated incidences. These possibilities occur in all types of schools.

– The SSS have proposed to the Government to commence an in-depth study review on the current education system in its totality.

– In a study carried out in 2002, the results of which were announced by the Deputy Education Minister in July 2008, it was found that nearly 25% of SRJKC dropped out of school before reaching Form 5.

– In the belief that the vernacular school system is not conducive to National Unity and the creation of a united Bangsa Malaysia, it is proposed that the vernacular schools be absorbed into the national school system.

– These schools may continue physically, but run with Government funding and given facilities like all other schools, using Bahasa Malaysia as well as using the national school syllabus and curriculum. This would then mean a unified and single education system for the country.

– Apart from improving teacher training and the organizing of refresher courses, the teaching, the syllabus, curriculum and extra-curricular activities of all National Schools must be aimed at creating national unity and the forging of a united Bangsa Malaysia.

– There shall be no racial references, labellings, indications and as such in the National Education system. Only one Malaysian race will be emphasized such that there is no necessity to teach any racial tolerance and acceptance in National Schools.

– Extremism in all aspects must not be allowed to fester within the education system.

– We want Malaysians to respect each other.

– It is high time we have a strong foundation for lasting peace and racial harmony in this country.

– With the SSS, the Ministry’s efforts can be focused on just one school system, one policy, one set of rules, procedures and regulations for all. Less divided attention, less headaches.

– From the socio-political angle, it is very clear the SSS is necessary for the well being of the country. Even from the economic angle, it does appear necessary to have it when the SJK(C) drop-out rate in 2002 was as high as 25% and many among the drop outs land in unscrupulous and economically unproductive activities. Reference here:

– Unfortunately, in Malaysia today, race relation is at its lowest point.

– We must have a Bangsa Malaysia for a lasting peace, harmony and unimpeded progress for the country. Let us do something to achieve this dream of “Bangsa Malaysia” by having SSS as a start.

– We are not a “Bangsa Malaysia” yet. We still identify ourselves with and place our racial origins and interests above those of our country. We dream of the day when we all can proudly call ourselves Bangsa Malaysia and nothing matters more than the interests of our beloved country, MALAYSIA.

– Under the SSS, children at formative ages will mix and cross racial boundaries, learn and get used to the ways of the others since young.

– The chances are good that, as a result of the mixing, they will find no more racial barriers upon leaving school and regard everybody else as Bangsa Malaysia – friends, colleagues, fellow citizens and all.

– All Malaysians must respect the Constitution, abide by or follow what had been written in that document. It is the very foundation of our existence.

– Respecting the Constitution is a minimum requirement for being loyal as citizens. Every independent country, even in remote parts of the world, has a Constitution. It is the highest set of laws in any country; all other laws are derived from or based on the Constitution.

SK teachers have become one bone of contention among the anti-SSS people. It deserves special attention. Existing teachers need to be re-trained by refresher or such courses. In future,

– the Teachers Recruitment/Selection Committee needs to comprise people of high integrity, must be corruption-free and with experience as educationists.

– interest and aptitude in teaching must be the primary criterion for selection; the basis for determining that interest and aptitude must be drawn up by the Ministry and circulated to all members of the Recruitment/ Selection/ Interview Committee.

– if the recent report of a higher ratio of female to male teachers is true, it must be corrected. Performance based on gender may be arguable; to satisfy all parties and to maintain morale among the teachers, perhaps a 50:50 ratio should be maintained at all times.

– Racial tolerance (with the ultimate aim for a single Malaysian race in the future), respect for the Constitution, and love of the country and patriotism must be inculcated in school children.

– These can be done through civic or history classes, and/or extra-curricular activities.

– Done under SSS, there are better chances of a standardized and well coordinated method of instilling in the minds of the young such things as respect for the Constitution, abiding and living by it, concern for and love of our country.

– The ULTIMATE aim is a united Bangsa Malaysia where all Malaysians can identify with and be proud of being one.

These people are trying to do something for unity, for the good of everybody. I think we should look at them separate from what the Government does. If you disagree with the policies of the Government, you should give examples and details, and discuss them.

We agree with you that the SSS effort should be looked at separately from government policies and actions. We welcome discussions on issues concerning Bahasa Malaysia and single-stream schooling in here.

However, if commentators bring up issues on the Special Position of the Malays, the New Economic Policy, boarding schools, etc, we will explain them according to what we believe in. They should not be an impediment to unity and solidarity among Malaysians. Those policies and actions carried out in line with the relevant Articles of the Constitution need to be defended.

We, however, are awaiting the Government’s response to the call for an in-depth study of the education system(s) be made. Decision on doing the study needs not wait for a thorough determination of “whether the rakyat wants single-stream education” or not. The study shoud be a thorough one and is expected to take 1 1/2 to 2 years. Decision on implementation can be done later.

We believe you are referring to policies carried out in pursuit of Article 152 of the Constitution pertaining to Bahasa Malaysia and Article 153 concerning the Malay Special Position.

We believe you need not be fooled if you accept the fact Bahasa Malaysia should be the medium of instruction in all schools so that we have only one system of education instead of the present three. One system of education would encourage togetherness, the development of common hopes and aspirations among the young, thereby providing a hope for the emergence of a united, cohesive and proud Bangsa Malaysia irrespective of ethnicity.

Your statement of “divide and rule” is misplaced. That was practised only by the British Imperialist colonial masters and perhaps foreign rulers of old, like the Manchus (from Manchuria, a foreign country until after World War II) who ruled China for hundreds of years until the 20th century.

You would have a problem of constant disgruntlement if you cannot accept Article 153 of the Constitution regarding the Malay Special Position, the New Economic Policy, etc. The Malay leaders at Merdeka had agreed that the non-Malays (who were stateless all those years under British colonial rule) be given citizenship and, in exchange for that, the non-Malay leaders agreed that the Malays be given a Special Position under the Constitution. If you grudge the Malays for that, the Malays would grudge the citizenship given to you and your descendants, and that’s not good for anybody.

Let us try, for the sake of our children and grandchildren, to be civil with one another, to understand and accept what has been referred to as the Social Contract, as explained above. Unity must begin with us. If we have the right attitude and mindset as adults, we can guide our children accordingly and consider the rare incident of your son being taunted at a SK as unfortunate and to be regretted, like we also do.

We welcome your visit and comment in this blog. We hope you will come again and ask your friends as well.

We agree with you that these people want Malaysian citizens to really be Malaysian in all sense of the word. It is not enough just calling ourselves Malaysian or claim to feel Malaysian. We need to think and behave Malaysian as well.

This means that we must accept what is written in the Constitution. We must live according to the Constitution. It is the highest set of laws in the country. All other laws in the country come from it.

The Constitution says Bahasa Malaysia is the National Language. All schools should therefore have BM as the medium of instruction, including the Chinese and Indian schools.

This one thing bothers me. Why are you guys, the Demi Negara Blogging Community, anonymous? I just ‘signed’ your petition a few hours ago using my real name only to discover, upon reading this FAQ, that you guys are anonymous. I don’t see why. It weakens your, no, our, cause.

I was about to forward your petition to some other people I know but this one aspect is stopping me from doing so. Our cause, I believe, is not one that will call the ISA upon us. We might lose some ‘friends’, but nothing more than that. So why the secrecy?

We are giving you an early reply as what is bothering you requires one. We appreciate your support and your candour in signing the petition under your own name.

It has, if we may say so, been the tradition in blogosphere that people use nicknames – or pseudonyms, as authors of books have been known to use throughout modern written history. Only people like Tun Dr Mahathir and a few others use their own names when operating or writing in blogs. Additionally, we have other reasons for using nics, as we’ll try to explain below.

The ISA is almost always applied only to cases of subversion and threats to national security like from terrorist acts. Only the Police has the prerogative to determine what constitutes “threats to national security” and no one can argue in Court or anywhere if hauled in under ISA. However, we are by no means any threat to national security and we believe the ISA does not apply to us. Basically, we only speak in line with, and about respecting the Constitution of the country.

There is another legislation called the Sedition Act. Some idea of that is given by a lawyer calling himself Loyar Muda in our earlier post on the Home Page. All laws are subject to interpretation, that’s why there is the profession called lawyers. What is said in our blog may be wrongly interpreted. As an example, the MCA Head of the Youth Section who was also a Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Education had spoken about reporting us to the Police for using the word “gejala” when referring to Chinese schools, not realising that the Kamus published by the Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka has more meaning than the one he probably had used. When this was pointed out, such talk disappeared.

Nevertheless, we do not wish to be harassed or threatened from doing our work, and using nics helps in not being done so. We would rather spend the time writing and explaining the SSS cause instead of wasting time or being distracted by Police reports, etc.

Using nics does not weaken our cause, we can assure you of that. The politicians do. Dato Seri Najib has been bent on winning Chinese votes to the extent of saying Chinese schools can continue and giving millions of Ringgit donations to Chinese schools during PRK Hulu Selangor, Sibu, etc. We therefore need all the support you can give us. It is at your discretion whether to help persuade others to join our cause but we hope you would.

Our articles and replies to comments on the Home Page do give further information on the development regarding our cause. We have broadened our approach from just speaking about SSS to discussing the whole spectrum of activities that affect national unity in the country. We are happy that you identify with us and call this “our” cause. You are welcome to participate in the discussions and comment there as well. We are proud to have you with us.

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